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By Jim RayPlease consider this free-reprint article written by: Jim Ray
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Article Title: Building An Effective Furniture Sales Web Site
Author: Jim Ray
Category: Internet
Word Count: 684
Article URL: www.isnare.com/?id=2654&ca=Internet
Format: 64cpl
Author's Email Address: jray@web-presence.net
Article Source: www.isnare.com
Online Publisher Tool: www.isnare.com/html.php?id=2654
------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------
Web sites that feature products – especially furniture or
other
large items – require a careful balance of text and images to
convey the value of each product.
Let’s face it. Consumers like to see, feel, and “experience”
a
product before they make a purchase decision. If you can
elicit
the senses in your on-line presentation of an item, you will
increase your chances of making a purchase tenfold.
In addition to the basics of an effective web presence, such
as
complete contact information, a successful furniture sales web
site will convey the following:
* Credibility of the merchant to provide any product available
through the site;
* Dimensions, an invigorating text description, and multiple
images for each product;
* A replacement or repair policy in the event an item is
damaged during shipping;
* Delivery or shipping options, with pricing;
* Customer testimonials from those who have shopped with the
merchant;
* Full payment options, preferably with telephone, on-line,
and
invoice credit/debit options.
Style and Navigation
Again, developing a successful furniture sales site depends on
the web designer’s ability to elicit the senses through a
careful combination of text and images. “Presentation” design
elements, such as Flash and Java components, may be useful in
establishing a professional, yet comfortable tone across the
site.
Site navigation should be effortless and flow seamlessly
throughout the entire web site, including on pages that do not
relate specifically to products. Subconsciously, the site’s
ease of use will affect the prospect-customer’s impression of
the merchant.
Content Elements
As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
This is certainly the case in on-line furniture sales.
Each product should include at least two unique photos,
complete with thumbnail and enlarged versions, but may have as
many as six. The goal here is to encourage the
prospect-customer to become familiar with the product, to
envision the furniture in their home from all angles in the
room.
Product descriptions should vibrantly relate the texture,
colors, size, and “feel” of each item. Choose words that
connect directly to the senses. A throw pillow, for example,
could be presented as “a soft burgundy compliment to any sofa
pictured above.” Of course, while it is appropriate to be
vivid in your product descriptions, remember to remain true to
each product’s features.
Customer service options are a must. A hyperlink to the
merchant’s contact page or customer service area should be
available on each page of the site, uniformly. The merchant’s
telephone number should also be listed on each page.
A shopping cart system is not required, but can certainly
promote prospect-customer conversion based on convenience.
For
the product-based web presence, the next “action step” after
selecting a product is to make a purchase decision. If a
purchase requires picking up the telephone, the merchant risks
losing the customer during this transition. Offering on-line
payment with telephone support is the optimal way to promote
an
on-line sale.
Tweaks and Tips
* Offering financing options and/or incentive-based sales
offers, such as no interest for a 6- or 12-month period, will
increase your competitive edge and promote a quicker purchase
decision.
* When developing content, be sure to include plenty of key
terms and phrases in the site’s general text. Search engines
such as Google rely on content text, not meta tags, to
determine search placement.
* Include key terms in image description tags and hyperlinks.
Describe each image or link using terms and phrases relevant
to
the image, industry, and merchant.
If you are a furniture merchant attempting to develop your
first web presence, seek the advice and support of a
full-service small business web design firm. Professional,
affordable web design is available. Creating a “do it
yourself” site may appear cost effective, however this can
quickly become a complicated and time consuming project. Stay
focused in your profession, and recruit the wisdom of a web
professional.
About The Author: Jim Ray is a seasoned web developer and
president of Web Presence, a national web design firm serving
the small business market sector. To learn more, or for a
free
quote for your own web site, visit the Web Presence at
www.web-presence.net.
------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------
For more free-reprint articles by Jim Ray please visit:
www.isnare.com/?s=author&a=Jim+Ray
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